The Department of Justice has announced a sentence in the murder of a black transgender woman. The DOJ reports that a South Carolina man, Daqua Lameek Ritter, was sentenced to life in prison for the December 2019 murder of Dime Doe.

On February 24, Ritter was convicted of all charges including one hate crime count. The DOJ explains that this was the first guilty verdict under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

Evidence presented during trial showed that Ritter was upset that rumors about his relationship with Doe were out in the public. On August 4, 2019, he lured Doe to a remote area in Allendale where he shot her three times in the head.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said in a video statement that Dime Doe grew up in South Carolina and began to transition after high school. She got extensions in her hair, wore skirts, and began getting her nails done. Doe became a hair dresser and started seeing the defendant.

Clarke explained that Ritter was involved in a relationship with another woman so he tried to hide his relationship with Doe.